Nico's POV

Like an idiot, I chose dare.

'I dare you to—' She stroked her chin maniacally. 'wear make up for the rest of the game.'

Anger boiled within me. 'You wouldn't dare.'

'I just did.' Pinecone Face said. 'And don't act like you don't do that already.'

Zeus was the only thing stopping me from strangling her.

'Hey,' Nik called. 'There are still the other options.'

Cecil snipped his scissors and Nik pantomimed slapping someone's face.

I weighed my options; either have Thundergirl ask me an embarrassing question, get slapped about sixty times, be forced to conform to very disgusting stereotypes.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a difficult choice.

'Fine.' I muttered. 'You will pay for this, Thundergirl.'

'Aphrodite Cabin?' Thalia called sweetly.

Before I could object, I saw myself being hustled to Aphrodite Cabin.

(Exactly thirty two minutes of torture later.)

'Here you go, Nicorella.' Drew Tanka showed me the nearest mirror.

I frowned. 'I look stupid.'

Leila smiled crookedly. 'Is it the purple eyeshadow? Not enough; right?'

'Or the lipstick?' Valentina asked with concern as fake as her lashes. 'I knew we should've gone with pink. Red doesn't suit you at all.'

'He needs more glitter.' Stacey Jones, the youngest of them, said.

'The foundation's all wrong.' Lacey said.

'Maybe we should cut his hair—'

'Get me out of this cabin,' I ordered. 'or I'll have my helpers steal your month's supply of make up.'

Even Hades laughed.

'You look a lot less creepy as a girl.' Leo said.

'Nico is not a girl.' Will said.

'Thank—'

'At least not completely.' He went on. 'He still needs to change his name. Am I right, Nicki?'

'Remind me to kill you later.' I said.

'You're too nice to kill people, Nicki.' Will said.

'Dude; I'm Nik.' Nik said. 'I can't have the Lady of Darkness having half my name.'

'So Nicorella?' Drew insisted.

'Too long.' Cecil said.

'Just because you can't pronounce an extra two syllables?' Ellis asked.

'I am her father.' Hades said. 'I choose Nicole.'

'I second that.' Persephone said.

'All in favor?' Thalia asked.

Everyone consented.

'As of this minute, you shall answer only Nicole Bianca di Angelo.' Nik said. 'That okay; Nicole Bianca di Angelo?'

'You're all on my murder list.' I muttered. 'Who wants my turn?'

'Thank you very much.' Nik said, bowing.

'I didn't say you could—'

'So Nike Shoes;' Nik interrupted. 'Truth or death wish?'

Καθυστερώ

Hermes' POV

'Don't you know me by now?' I asked.

'You haven't known me until two weeks ago.' Nik said. 'And don't you know me by now?'

'Still; I will choose dare.' I said.

Nik smiled. 'Hostias; ad me.'

Victims; to me, I thought.

The rest of my children went to her and talked in hushed tones.

'We have come to a decision.' They chorused. 'Steal one of the Victor's laurels.'

I tried not to laugh. 'How hard can that be?'

Nik looked at me with pure sympathy. 'I'm so not not not not sorry.'

'If you fail; you owe all of us two hundred bucks.' Connor said.

'Each.' Travis completed.

'Nik getting two fifty.' Cecil said.

'Make it five fifty.' I said. 'Meaning Maleficent gets six fifty. Too bad you won't get it.'

The glint in her eyes made me think she'd already stolen my wallet. 'Just go.'

°¿°

The door was locked.

Of course, I thought. Those kids should have at least twenty of those crowns.

Unlike everyone else who had to jimmy a lock before they opened the door; I simply willed it to open.

On the floor there were about a lot of mouse traps; which I flew over. [Those children obviously did not know anything about security.]

The laurels were only centimetres away. All I had to do was lift the glass case and—

'YOU WILL DIE NOW!'

I turned and saw nothing.

One more step.

'YOU WILL DIE NOW!'

I turned again.

And another step.

'YOU WILL DIE NOW! YOU WILL DIE NOW! YOU WILL DIE NOW!'

I now did the only rational thing and looked up.

Flying above me was a bronze statue of Nike; of course not forgetting the spear.

Thus if you apply movie logic; the attacker only starts attacking when faced.

In no time I was running like mad back to the amphitheater; where I was immediately stopped by my children.

'Where's our five fifty bucks?' They asked.